Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Pentecost 5a - Romans 8:12-25

The sufferings of the present may not be worth comparing with the glory of the future, but when subjected to futility we groan as in labor, waiting patiently is not as easy as Paul would make it seem. Which is why we are in debt to hope, charging to the future what we cannot afford in the present so that these bodies decaying day by day might anticipate the forever future banquet long before the party has started. The nature of faith is to look past the present difficulties, without denying that they cause us to groan, by keeping our eyes on the prize, which is the day when sorrow and sighing will flee and groaning will cease. In the meantime we wait with eager expectation, albeit patiently, by going deeper in debt to hope.